Jonathan Moyo audio fallout escalates

A leaked audio clip allegedly featuring former cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo discussing strategies to ensure the success of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 has sparked controversy, with two lawyers vehemently denying involvement in the conversation.

The 10-minute recording, which circulated widely on social media, reportedly contained Moyo outlining plans to influence processes surrounding the proposed constitutional changes that would extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term.

Moyo confirmed that he was the speaker in the audio but dismissed the clip as a "desperate hoax," accusing lawyers Method Ndlovu and Zibusiso Ncube of illegally recording and maliciously sharing a private conversation. He described the allegations against the lawyers as "pure fabrication" and claimed the audio was "surgically edited" from a longer legal discussion.

Moyo alleged that the call was made on December 16, 2025, initiated by Ncube "in cahoots" with Ndlovu, and that the circulating clip had been weaponised for personal and political purposes.

In response, Ndlovu categorically denied the claims, calling them "absurd" and "irrefutably false." He challenged Moyo to release the full, unedited recording if it indeed placed him in the alleged conversation.

"If Professor Moyo is genuinely in possession of a recording that places me at the scene of the alleged conversation, I call upon him to produce that recording in its entirety," Ndlovu said.

Ndlovu further demanded Moyo reveal the identity of the individual who recorded the conversation, asserting that Moyo's silence on this matter was "not innocuous." He added that Moyo's timeline of events was "inconsistent" and "irreconcilable with the factual record," emphasizing that he bore no responsibility for the creation or circulation of the audio.

Ndlovu also criticized Moyo's handling of the matter as reckless, accusing him of publicly attacking his professional reputation without evidence or prior engagement. He threatened legal action, saying:

"I have dedicated my professional life to the rigorous, ethical, and conscientious practice of law before the highest courts of this republic. That record does not bend to the winds of social media innuendo."

The controversy has added tension within Zanu-PF, where the proposed constitutional amendment has already caused divisions. Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga is reportedly opposed to extending Mnangagwa's term, highlighting internal disagreements within the ruling party.

The dispute over the audio clip underscores the growing polarisation around Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, which seeks to shift the presidential electoral process to Parliament and extend the current electoral cycle from 2028 to 2030.